In 1958, a local man called Ted Crouch owned a hardware shop in Letchworth, which had a small chapel behind it on Whitehorse Street. He used the chapel to give families time with their loved ones who had passed away before their funeral services.
Some 15 years later, Ted decided to convert his property on Hitchin Street, which was previously a stables with a forge. This space had always been used for industrial purposes, having been owned by a wire weaver in 1791, a carpenter in 1796, a wheelwright, blacksmith and iron founder in 1808, a cartwright and brass founder in 1850, then a millwright and engineer in 1859.
In 1881, a man called Thomas Spicer occupied the yard, and his occupation at the time was ‘cabinetmaker and undertaker’. During this era, many craftsmen such as builders, joiners and carpenters became funeral undertakers, because their skillset well equipped them to make the finest coffins. This led to many people in the profession to become funeral directors later on in their careers.
When Ted Crouch bought the yard, he converted the stables into a chapel, the forge became an office, and the upstairs part of the building was to be the workshop for which coffins were made and waxed by hand.
Ted’s daughters, Peggy and Janet, and his son-in-law, Trevor Gilbert, assisted in the running of the funeral directors, until Ted sadly passed away in 1983. Trevor then took over the business, and acquired our Letchworth office from another local funeral director called Mr Favell.
The company continued to go from strength to strength over the following years, with E H Crouch becoming a renowned and loved part of the Hertfordshire community, with funeral homes now in Stotfold, Stevenage, Letchworth and Baldock.
We understand that there is a lot to think about, so if you do need assistance with your loved one's funeral arrangements, our funeral experts will offer you all the support you need.
It’s perfectly normal to be unsure of what you need to do following the death of a loved one. These step-by-step guides will carefully explain everything you need to when someone dies, helping you through each stage of the process.
Our guides on planning a funeral will ensure your loved one's send off is a personal and unique celebration of their life. We will explain how our Funeral Directors will help you plan a funeral service and support you at every stage.
This guide will explain what happens at a funeral; including the funeral procession, funeral service, committal service and the wake. We will be here to help you through every step of the journey.
4 King Edwards Court,
King Edward Square
Sutton Coldfield,
West Midlands, B73 6AP
Calls are recorded for monitoring and quality purposes. All calls made to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free of charge whether made from a landline or mobile phone. Dignity Funerals Limited is a company registered in England No. 00041598. VAT registered No. 486 6081 14. Registered office: 4 King Edwards Court, King Edwards Square, Sutton Coldfield B73 6AP. Dignity Funerals Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number 967130. Please note that the selling and administering of funeral plans is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), however if you are purchasing a funeral without a funeral plan this will not be covered by FCA regulation.